ghaeles lowtheb



(No Model.) v

C. LOWTHER.

I DRIVING APPARATUS.

UNITED STATES PATENT QEEiCE.

.CHARLES LOVVTHER, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

DRIVING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,513, dated April 20, 1886.

Application led December 22, 1885. Serial No. 186,493. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs LowTHER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Driving Apparatus; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the drawings.

My invention relates to a muff orhand-protector, combined with reins orholders for driving, which will completely protect the hands of the driver from cold, while it enables him to hold the reins securely, and, if required, to adjust them to various lengths, and in proper cases to otherwise conveniently handle them.

Figure lis a cross-sectional view through the center of one of my hand-protectors, showing an arrangement of the saine with reference tothe reins to be held while the hand is thus protected. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same apparatus, taken at right angles to v the view shown in Fig. 1;" Fig. 3 is a view of the outside of one of my hand-protectors, showing a form of catch or attaching-plate, by which the two hand-protectors can be securely connected together, thus enabling the driver, if need be, to withdraw either hand at will from the protector, while he securely holds both reins with the remaining hand in the other protector. Fig. 4 is a view of aform of plate to be attached to the other hand-protector, and which is intended to engage with the plate shown in Fig. 3.

In the drawings, A represents a hand-protector. It is of suitable size to allow the insertion of the hand of the driver, and roomy enough to allow the handle of the holder of the rein, which is arranged within it, to be grasped by the hand.

The niufl is preferably made at the open end of gauntlet-shape, so as to cover the sleeve of the wearer and protect the wrist from cold. In material it should be made thick and warm, of any material; but I recommend the use of Vfur on the outside, with asuitable lining on front end of the protector,and is arranged either to pass directly through the front end into the interior of the protector, where it can be grasped or held, or to be attached to the front end ofthe protector to a holder, loop, or other suitable and convenient contrivance extending within the protector, for holding or grasping the rein. I have shown a stirrup form of holder or loop attached to the rein, and arranged within the protectorat C. This holder is, in the form shcwn in the drawings, grasped by the hand. For this form of holder asuitable loop or other convenient arrangement of the part of the `rein to be attached may be substituted; but the stirrup form is especially advisable, on account of the facility with which it may be grasped and held by the hand, particularly in cold weather. If the reinitself does not pass directly Within the protector at its front end, it should be attached by a strong holding device to the front end of the protector. The form of device that I, have selected and illustrated in the drawings is that of the ordinary tongueless buckle, which is usually attached to the above-mentioned holders or loops, through which the rein may pass and be extended through the inside or down the outside of the muil" or protector until it comes tothe open end of the hand-protector, where it may pass through aloop connected with the holder on the inside of the protector, thus securing them both together at the open end of the protector. This arrangement will allow the reins to be adjusted to any length at will, and the ends will be held in convenient position by the loop at e, where they may be grasped by the hand in an emergency, if de sired.

Other forms of attaching-connections between the rein and the hand-protector may be substituted for the buckle. (Shown at f.)

On the outside of my hand-protectors I apply devices which permit the engagement of the two protectors together.

Fig. 3 shows a forni of plate or catch, g, which is securely attached to the body of the hand-protector or to the rein or holder on the inside, by riveting, sewing, or otherwise. This plate has an aperture in it, into which the stud h, (shown in Fig. 4,) engages. This stud should be securely attached by a plate or otherwise, and be riveted or attached in the same manner as plate g to the opposite muif or handeprotector. By the use of these devices it Will be apparent thatif the driver using the protectors desires to withdraw one of his hands from one of the protectors for the purpose of using the whip, orotherwise, he may, by engaging the stud h with the corresponding aperture in the plate g, fasten both protectors together, and by that means hold and control both reins (one of which is attached to each of the protectors) by the hand inserted in one of them, and upon inserting the hand again disengagc them at will.

Other devices for securing the engagement between the two protectors may of course be substituted for the plate g and stud IL, as I do not claim anything novel in that particular form of engagement, except as applied to my new structure.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let 2o ters Patent, is-v yl. The combination, with a rein, of' a handprotector open at the rear and closed at the forward end, and providedwith a stirrupformed holding device arranged in theinterior z5 of the samefor holding the reins, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of reins with two handprotectors, substantially such as described, provided with a plate, g, and stud h, or equiva- 3o lent devices, for engaging the hand-protectors together and disengaging them at will, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

CHARLES LOWTTHER.

Vitnesses:

THOMAS HUNT, J. FRANK WALTERs. 

